By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:King Mswati’s decision to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan has grounded high profile and ordinary citizens and as a result, this Swaziland News has been receiving information from emaSwati who struggled to secure visas when approaching the Chinese Embassy in South Africa.

The visa restrictions has been going on for months, China is accusing eSwatini of undermining the United Nations(UN) Resolution 2758 of 1971 that recognized the “One China” Principle by maintaining diplomatic relations with self-ruled Chinese Province.

“Swazis are really blocked from traveling to China. When applying via mail, we are told that’s a technical issue. And we drove to Joburg and were told that’s we are now not allowed to travel to China,” said one Liswati.

But the travel restrictions does not only affect ordinary citizens, Johannes Manikela,the Business Federation of Eswatini(BFE) Head of Retail says his Office received more complaints from businesspeople struggling to travel to China amid visa restrictions.

“It’s true that I received various complaints even from other businesspeople complaining that, they are now struggling to travel to China for business. But it is the Government that should be facilitating the diplomatic relations with China because, we doing business and sourcing goods there, many companies are shutting down now,” said the Business Federation Eswatini Head of Retail.

 Efforts to seek a comment from Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

On another note, eSwatini continues to undermine the United Nations Resolution 2758 of 1971 that recognized the One China Principle by maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan. 

In terms of the said United Nations Resolution, Taiwan is regarded as a Chinese Province not an independent State.